Girls Names – Dead To Me
Taste makers take note. This Belfast three-piece already have releases under their belts on both the Captured Tracks and Slumberland labels. And, if that isn’t enough to prick the ears, then how about the fact that, amongst others, they’ve also supported Times New Viking , Dum Dum Girls and Abe Vigoda ? That we can add a tour with joyous lo-fi mumblers La La Vasquez to that fine list is truly our pleasure.
It’s safe to say that those that heard Crystal Stilts ‘ choice Alight Of Night album will find Dead To Me , and in particular the dirgeful “Cut Up”, very familiar. Those that continue to follow the prolific Spectrals set-up need also to sit up and pay attention.
Another, simpler way to put all this is that Dead To Me is great. An all-too-brief collection of ten impeccably reverbed, chiming garage-poppers with thin, period production in the C86 vein, it can’t help but leave you wanting more, but in reality there’ll be few dissatisfied with what they get.
Neil Brogan ‘s listless vocal bobs around in jangling slews of 60s garage. Iconic drum patterns skitter around the mix joining frenzied surf scales. Echoes abound as dark-hearted Girl-group influences prevail. To cap it all, “Bury Me” even thinks to court early, feedback-free Jesus & Mary Chain as it drags itself through that same influential grey wetness.
Mournful thanks to Brogan’s ennui, miserable thanks the band’s choice of subject matter – the album is called Dead To Me for goodness’ sake, another sample track “Séance On A Wet Afternoon” – Dead To Me is drop-dead cool in every sense.
Advised downloads: “Séance On A Wet Afternoon” and “Bury Me”.
~Dead To Me is released April 25th 2011 on Tough Love ( Slumberland in the US).~